Pipeline blast disrupts gas supplies to Quetta, several Balochistan areas

SSGC says an 18-inch-diameter pipeline was damaged by an explosive device near its valve assembly

QUETTA:

Gas supplies to Quetta and several other parts of Balochistan were suspended on Thursday after an explosion damaged a major gas pipeline near Gokurt in the Bolan area, officials said.

According to Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) officials, an 18-inch-diameter pipeline was damaged by an explosive device near its valve assembly. The facility was located about 800 metres from the National Highway.

The blast resulted in the suspension of gas supplies to Quetta as well as Kolpur, Mach, Mastung, Kalat, Pishin and Ziarat.

Flames were reported to have emerged from the damaged pipeline following the explosion, while the affected area was secured for safety and inspection.

SSGC officials said repair teams would be sent to the site once security clearance was granted. Engineers and technical staff would assess the damage before starting restoration work.

The company had not yet announced a specific timeframe for the resumption of gas supplies to the affected areas.

The disruption raised concerns among residents and businesses that relied on the pipeline network for cooking, heating and other daily needs. A prolonged outage could further inconvenience consumers across the affected districts.

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Authorities were investigating the explosion and the circumstances surrounding the damage to the gas infrastructure.

The latest incident came months after a similar attack in March, when terrorists blew up an 18-inch-diameter SSGC gas pipeline near the Western Bypass in Harnai’s Akhtarabad area. Explosives planted beneath the pipeline destroyed a large section of the infrastructure and disrupted gas supplies to several areas of Quetta and upper Balochistan, including Airport Road, Nawan Kali, Jinnah Town, A One City, Hazarganji, Kuchlak, Pishin, Ziarat, Bostan, Yaro, Karbala and Harmuzi.

Eyewitnesses had reported that the March explosion triggered a massive fire, with flames rising high above the damaged pipeline and causing panic in the area.

Authorities were investigating Thursday’s explosion and the circumstances surrounding the damage to the gas infrastructure.